


Making Things Better

by Polarissruler



Category: Shin Megami Tensei Series, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, I'm Bad At Tagging, Not Really Character Death, Tags May Change, i think
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-06-10 23:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15302652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polarissruler/pseuds/Polarissruler
Summary: From the start of the universe, the Administrator kept two of the strongest demon sealed in the Earth. But it is impossible to stop such a power so easily. The two flowers were their only try. But the flowers were plucked. As Eli watched humans misusing their powers for ages, she decides to use this as their test. Can Alcor prove to his master, that these humans deserve a chance at survival?





	1. Prologue - Start Anew

**Author's Note:**

> This began as a shower idea. 'What if Varian lived in Big Hero 6-verse?' From there I somehow added Alcor and Polaris. After a few more changes that became this. I will try to update at least weekly, but my net right now is buggy, so it can be slower. This is my first fic, so tell me what do you think, please.

Pink fog drowned the Akasha Stratum. The Heavenly Throne rose and under it stood she: a being as old as existence itself. Ever since the start of her eternal reign she had many names: The Administrator; Vega; Polaris; The Great Will.

Now her name was Eli.

Underneath her laid the still-young universe. It consisted of two huge, separate halves: chaos and order, life and entropy. Between them laid thin, decisive border.

By Eli’s will, a spark from the chaos flew into the ordered emptiness. It burned brightly and died quickly. Like a human’s life. Then thousands of others followed and the two pieces fused. On the disappearing border demons formed. These thousands of sparks changed everything. Like humans’ lives.

From the demons there, two were the strongest: The Demiurge and Mem Aleph. Soon they began their choreographed fight. One of them crashed into the other, forming the Earth. Two flowers blossomed from the barren land.

A new age began.

And with the beginning came memories of an end.

As Polaris, she knew the power of humans. She knew they could change their destiny. After all, she gave them that power. The only question, she had, was ’Why?’. Out of mere curiosity? Or boredom? Maybe she just needed something to watch as she observed existence. If you knew everything, would not you get bored?

Or out of fear? The Administrator knew of events, long predicted by the record. She knew that her universe would fall to demons, angels or humans themselves. Maybe she wanted to test if humans could find a way to make the universe better?

Even the all-knowing did not know some answers.

But at some point, the experiment had failed. For the fourth time.

Humans did not have enough power. They lost the fight with her or her swords. Polaris gave them a chance, then another and another. When they finally won over her, she granted their wish. She recovered their world like it was.

The humans had significant power because they remembered. But that did not change anything in the long run. It gave them a year and three days. Then the Void came and with it the end.

That universe was doomed.

The Void’s job was to delete every trace of the old reality. Polaris ruled that old reality. When the Universe was gone, she entered the Void and deleted herself. At the Heavenly Throne, a new body for the Administrator’s mind appeared.

And now she was watching as the Universe created itself from scratch. The chaos and order fought for dominance over the forming world. Eli would give them none. Pure order meant nothingness, pure chaos meant destruction until the nothingness.

Four times she tried to achieve a balance between them. Three times she reset the Universe after deeming it a failure. Two times she was opposed by her sword. One time she listened to him. Zero times she had succeeded.

“What do you see?” asked Eli the Septentrione next to her.

“The same as you.” replied the human-like figure.

* * *

  _“At the start of Universe there was only vast, unbound darkness, held by absolute order. Nothing was out-of-place, simply because nothing existed to be out-of-place. Cold emptiness swallowed each single lonely try at existence._

_"There, at the nonexistence, sparkled a little fire. The Great Will of the Universe wished for life to come and so light came. With the light came majestic creatures. Their mother, the mighty Mem Aleph is still believed to be guardian of New Corona and a symbol of freedom._

_"Yet the empty abyss didn’t give up easily and retaliated with its own creatures. The strongest of them, the vile false god of nothingness, tried to kill the Great Mother. After a long fight, the monster still didn’t give up. In one last resort, Mem Aleph clashed into the monster with such power, that the two creatures fused into a single giant sphere. After many centuries, this sphere became known as the Earth, on which we live._

_"The story of the fight between light and darkness had yet to end. The immense powers in the middle of the Earth rose to the core and bloomed in two flowers. They held the eternal power of creation and destruction. Each countered the other keeping the land in perfect harmony. One of them was warm and gold_ _l_ _ike the sun. That Sun flower is a symbol of the ever-flowing life. It can heal people, and even reverse the time, keeping them young forever.”_

King Frederic read the page again. Then again. Then once more. The old book gave him one last, tiny hope - just like that first spark, which lit the life itself. If something could heal Ariana, if something could let Frederic see her smile once again, it would be the Sun flower.

The king gave an order to his most trusted soldiers, fully assured everything could turn alright.

He did not bother to read the next page. But even if he had read the dangers of plucking the Sun flower, he still might have done it.

* * *

_“At the start of the Universe there was only fiery, uncontrolled light, held back by nothing. There was no order, only unbound energy. It burned with extreme power each try at existence. There was no life, no order._

_"There, at the destructive inferno, formed a little ice crystal. The Great Will of the Universe wished for life to come and so order came. With the ordered darkness came the enforcers of that order - many creatures of shadows. Their ruler, the almighty Demiurge, radiated calmness and peace around him. This is why he is still considered a symbol of order and justice and guardian of Corona._

_"Yet the fiery Inferno had yet to give up. From the vile blazes, chaotic creatures were born. The most horrific of them, their destructive Mother, tried to kill the Demiurge. After a long fight, in the last resort, it crashed itself into her with incredible power. The two creatures fused into a single humongous sphere._ _After many centuries, that sphere became what we know as Earth._

_"There are still traces of the two creatures if one looks carefully enough. The Demiurge still keeps the Mother’s power in check and balances the Earth._ _When she tried to escape in the form of a flower, the Demiurge created another flower to stop hers._

_"His flower is black like the night sky. It holds the powers of destruction. It heals people by destroying the sickness. Whoever has its power can level down_ _whole fortresses in a single blow.”_

Quirin did not have to read the book. He knew by heart the dangers of plucking the flower. But what other choice had he?

Teresa had already died. His little kid did not have time to spare.

He knew that giving his child a piece from the flower of destruction was a recipe for a disaster. But what parent would let his child die, when he could save them?

If Frederic could pluck a flower without something happening, then Quirin could do the same. Maybe his small Varian would not get any powers.


	2. Chapter I - Deep into the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the chapter, on time (barely, but on time - at least where I live). I hope you like it, because I had to fight with tooth and nail for the laptop against my brothers, but it was worth it.

It was dark and cold. No sunlight could reach the boy, left to rot in the deepest part of the dungeon. The guards were his only company, but they did not count.

It was a matter of time before Varian was forgotten. And then who would save his father? And what would that person tell him? That his only child had been thrown in the dungeon for treason?

Varian had to escape. He had to get his vengeance and save his father. Corona was going to pay.

But how? For the first time in his life, Varian had no plan. Thousands of ideas rushed to his head, but each was stupider than the previous.

_Take the burning torch._ And then what? He could neither burn the metal cage nor use the stick to break it. If he tried to break the wall, it was going to take time and Varian could not hide the torch anywhere in his cell.

_Take the keys from the guard_. How? He did not even carry them with himself. And even if for some reason he did, how could Varian take them?

The only option left was to wait. Varian was patient. After all, Rapunzel still believed they could be friends. She was not going to let her father do anything horrible to him. And Frederic would not risk disappointing his daughter again.

Varian laid on the hard bed, closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Or not.

The whole dungeon shook with horrible, horrific sound. Before Varian could react, a piece from the roof fell on him.

It was painful for a second and then Varian felt nothing.

* * *

 The angel moved through the sickly green halls. He hated this forgotten by… no, if this place had been forgotten by God, it would be much, much better. If only he kept his mouth shut, no one would know the real power of Schwarzwelt.  No one’s desires would be twisted by this disgusting place.

But the angel believed the only way to redeem himself was to turn to the Lord again, without disobeying even for a second. Even now, when His orders were getting more and more… vile, the angel followed them to the letter.

Each turn, each room, each passage reminded the angel of his past mistakes. Of his pride. Of his desire to be better than anyone possible. As he entered the room where his Lord sat, the angel’s blood froze in his veins.

A strange sphere stood in the middle of the room. In it lied a destroyed room. A big piece from the ceiling had fallen on what used to be a bed. It was hard to see, but there was a person under the rubble.

“You are given a chance to reclaim your position. The Mother’s power is growing more and more and she can influence the men’s world. My angel army is prepared to attack the chaotic forces. The girl is walking right into my trap. We cannot wait anymore.

“That boy died a few hours ago. Yet his soul had been infused with the dark flower. It is still alive and it enters this world. If the chaotic forces find him, we are doomed.

Your job is to take him. He had suffered much. It would be easy to recruit him to the right side and make him an angel. He will be second only to me in power. Succeed and I forgive you for trying to defy me. Fail and I will banish you from Heaven forever!”

_She has suffered much. She will trust me because I saved her. She will become an angel, and everything will go just as planned. He will give powers, superior to the angels’ for this! He may even bless me with powers, equal to his, for I will succeed where he failed!_

The memories crashed into Mastema’s mind. It was like with her. In the end, this eternal war would bring only more and more suffering. Was that His real will?

As he went to the place humans called Antila, there was only one thought in his head.

_Poor boy, you should have died under that rubble._

* * *

 Varian woke up in the snow. It was so cold that he could see his own breath

The only thing on his mind was the unbearable pain. His arms ached. His legs felt like after running at least ten kilometers.

Varian tried to move, or at least stand. The boy pushed from the ground. So far, good. But as he tried to stand from that position, a sharp pain pierced him through the waist. Varian collapsed on the frozen ground.

Varian woke up in the snow again. How long had he been there? At this temperature, Varian had to move or he would freeze to death. One more try... He breathed in and tried to stand. Almost there…

The young alchemist’s body gave up and he fell face first on the hard land. The snow was falling on him mercilessly. That was it. Through his head flashed thousands of thoughts, each worse than the previous.

_I am going to die here. Alone. In the cold. I will am never going to see my father again. I am not going to save him. He is going to stay in that amber forever._

There was no backup plan. With his possibly last breath, the boy could only whisper “I am sorry, dad” and began to cry.

It felt warmer. Maybe Varian was close to death - he had read people feel warm when they freeze to death. He closed his eyes and waited for the snow to cover him. He had lost everything.

But the snow did not come. The alchemist opened his eyes and saw a strange figure. His sight was blurred and probably he was hallucinating because the man almost looked like as he had wings.

“Hello, my boy.” The man’s voice was soft and reassuring. The second Varian heard it, all his worries disappeared. He felt better than ever. There was no more pain, no more suffering in his mind.

All were reasons, why he should never trust that man. But without the pain taking over Varian’s mind, other questions sneaked there. Most importantly, “Where am I?”

The cold wasteland was not Corona. Even during that horrible storm that began everything, the kingdom was much warmer. And the familiar forest was missing. But there was only one person who could answer.

The boy blinked a few more times until he could see somewhat better. Now Varian was sure he was hallucinating. The man in front of him had unnaturally gray skin, strange white clothes, and two raven-black wings.

_I am almost dead. My mind is giving up and I am hallucinating this. There is no way such a creature to exist._

Angels did not exist. They were just metaphors for virtues. Some person from long ago just created them to manipulate people into following him. But they were unreal!

“I see you are troubled. May I help you in any way?” The voice sounded again. Every single part of Varian’s body shouted: “Trust him!”. His mind added: “You have to.”

Unfortunately, it had right. Varian knew neither where he was, nor how he got there. The only one who could give him answers was the man. If he was real.

“Am I dead?” Out of all questions Varian had, he wanted to ask this one the least. Yet it was the most important one. And at the same time, the scariest.

Seconds turned into a minute. Varian did not know what to expect. And how could he believe the man?

“I would prefer if we go to a safer place before I have to explain it to you.” said the winged man, piercing the silence.

“What is unsafe in this place? You can protect me from the cold. What else is dangerous? And how can that be complicated? Either I am dead, or I am not!” Varian attacked the man with questions. The more he knew, the better he could decide the situation.

But before the man could answer, a tiny, strange thing flew in front of Varian.

“You are human! I have not seen humans in so much time! You are so sweet, I could eat you! No, wait, I promised him to not eat any humans more… But maybe just once will not hurt… No, I promised! Sorry, I have to go to Hariti! I need some of her pomegranates!” Blowing a kiss, the thing disappeared as fast as it appeared.

“Do you see now? She may not be willing to eat you, but others of her kind will not do so.”

Varian wanted to laugh. How could such a tiny creature be dangerous? But he did not; after all, his own plans relied on his opponents underestimating him. And if there was a whole race of fast human-eaters…

“Is that safe place near?”

* * *

 “Why are you showing me this?” asked the black-haired boy. The experience was so strange, so inhuman. It was like he existed everywhere, yet did not exist anywhere. Every possible information assaulted his mind. But as far as he knew, Polaris did not let anyone in the Heaven Throne, let alone the Akashic Record itself.

“You should know by now.”

“Not that I am complaining, but could you be straight-forward for once, Polaris?”

“Eli.”

Oh, right. Hibiki still did not understand that. Polaris had destroyed the whole universe, expect him. Then she created everything anew and called herself Eli. “What is the difference?”

“Our power for example. I am weaker than my predecessor. And we are not the same begins. I may have her memories but it is like as if I see them in a movie, and not as experiences.”

“I do not believe it.”

“You do not have to. It is the simple truth.”

“Oh, not about the memories. I cannot believe you know what movies are.”

“Of course I know about movies. I am Eli, an avatar of the Great Will. I know everything.”

It was really hard to speak with Eli for that reason. How could a man speak with someone, who knew everything?  And worse, only said the bare necessities?

Eli had been an enigma. No matter how much he asked, she told him only about two things: her goal of a perfect world and why had she made him a Septentrione? _You proved yourself to be more than the other people. You were the one, who led the people to fight. And she needed a right-hand man after the previous Alcor died._

Did Eli just look for a replacement for her servant? Did she even have feelings? Maybe she was like a robot, seeking results without thinking about anything else. Maybe she only looked at things objectively and in her job emotions were a problem.

If he was the Alcor now, then it was his job to test the humans. He had to prove to her that humans had potential. Why? If they failed, Eli just would reset everything from the beginning with minor changes, until humans were perfect.

They were just pawns put in her plan, so why she cared whether they died? Nothing they did would matter in the long run. They only existed to provide data and then test it. Or at least Еli said that. But if she did not care about them, why she made the plan in first place?

Why did she want to raise people to the next level?

Maybe for that reason, she needed him: he used to be a human.

“Was he a human, too?”

“If you are speaking about my previous Alcor, then yes. You were similar: strong, reliable and with some kind of aura around yourselves. Humans used to describe you in this way, am I right?”

Why she had to ask? Eli knew everything, before it even happened. At least, now Hibiki had to test the humanity and he had to do it, because among the Septentriones only he was a human. Only one question remained.

“What is the test?”

“You will find.” answered Eli, cryptic as ever

“Well, when am I going there?”

The second he asked the world turned bright. The next second Hibiki was alone in a luxurious palace.

“I never expected that humans’ darkness could be so beautiful.”


	3. Chapter II - Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is becoming a habit to update after 22:00, isn't it? For some reason, I proofread my works best late at night. Anyway, here is the next chapter.

At least a few hours had passed. Varian tried to keep up with the winged man, but he was much faster. The alchemist had to run through the frigid air and the deep snow, but still could not keep pace. At least the man somehow warmed the frigid air to bearable levels. If Varian was too slow, the coldness crept again, like a warning to hurry up. At this point, the alchemist felt as if he could almost trust the man. Almost.

The winged man just had to be more willing to answer questions. Oh, he had promised to say everything, once they reach the supposed ‘safe place’, which was even deeper into the frigid place. They passed by more of the red-haired creatures. The Pixies, as the man called them, took a single glance and ran. Something in the winged repelled them: he radiated respect, power, grace, he…  _ Stop! You cannot trust him. _

Varian felt the cold creeping. It was so sudden as if he entered an ice cave. The shock made the boy trip and fell in the black snow. A few seconds later, he heard the familiar noble voice “Excuse this sudden shock. I had to use all my powers to break the seal in front of us. It was more powerful than I expected.”

The boy looked where the wall used to be. There, in the bluish rock, was a perfect rectangular gap, almost as if it had been there forever. The two tried to enter, but a voice stopped them.

“Who of the Heaven Court dares to enter my village? No angel is welcomed here, especially you Mastema!”

Mastema. The winged man’s name was Mastema and he was an angel. Impossible… yet Varian was in a strange land, where some snow was pitch-black, there were human-eating faeries and the man could make the whole place warmer. Either they were real, or Varian was in a dying dream - neither sounded better than the other.

“And no one with you is welcomed, either! The woman, which you brought, destroyed all my brothers and sisters. We were lucky, that our king and queen had already gone home when you came. I had to rebuild this place from scratch, and I will not let you destroy it again!”

The creature that tried to stop them looked like Pixie, but bigger. She also had more jewels and different clothes, like royalty. Was she the ruler of the Pixies? Why she hated Mastema so much? Why had Mastema destroyed the faeries? Who was that woman, about which the fairy spoke? Why had he led Varian to a whole village of these tiny monsters, which he had destroyed before? The boy trusted Mastema less and less.

Suddenly, the tall fairy looked at Varian. “Oh, Titania! Who is this poor, shivering boy?” She flew in front of Varian and gave him a peck on the neck. It stung for a moment, like a mosquito.

“A human!” shouted the fairy. “Explain. Now.”

“I met the boy...” Mastema tried to say something, but the fairy cut him.

“Not you! I know how good you are at the lies. I will hear only the boy.” said she and looked at Varian.

The boy told her how he woke up in the snow, how the angel came and about the other Pixie.

“You met with John’s Pixie! How is she? Wait, that has no importance. You say you woke up here? The first humans I had seen in millennia had to wear special suits and fly in special ships to enter this place! Mastema, how did the boy come here? I cannot believe you would do something out of your good will. Who ordered you?”

“Would I come here, if I were to bring him to one my master?” At that point Mastema did something, that shocked the tall Pixie - he knelt. “Would you protect the boy for me? I swear in all His names, the boy is not a danger for you.”

She was left speechless for a few minutes. “Why should I trust you? How can I know you will not destroy my home once more?” Once she got over the shock, she asked that. “Why is the boy so important Mastema? Only a few centuries ago, the girl, John, and even your angels were nothing but pawns. I doubt your Lord had ordered you to bring the boy here. Tell me everything.

“As for you, boy, one of my people will bring you in the village. Angels are many things, but they do not break their oaths.” The bigger Pixie snapped her fingers and a tall woman in an orange dress came. “Lead him in front of my palace, Silky, and keep him warm.”

With a nod, the green-skinned woman did as ordered. She took Varian by the hand and led him through the hole in the wall. The boy did not like that in the slightest.  He tried to pull his hand out of the woman’s grasp, but she was inhumanly strong. After a few painful failed tries, the boy gave up.

* * *

In her life, the High Pixie of Antlia had seen a lot. She had fought against angels, she met with someone of the Wild Hunt and her former best friend was a human.  Many, faeries had done the first, not so much - the second and only one other fairy had done the last.

She had also founded her own village in Antlia, the war-torn land. Everyone believed that to be impossible, but Pixie did not give up easily. Once she made a plan, she followed. And the efforts were not unrewarded. She had become a High Pixie, and Queen Titania had named her a High Pixie of Antilla. She had her own town, where Faeries of all kinds could live in peace.

Then John had to break that by aiding the angels. Why had he chosen to fight on their side? Did he believe free will was such a sin? No matter the reason, he led Mastema and the singing girl to the town. The angel did not even spare them a glance, only saying “Destroy them.” In a second, all her friends and family fell on the ground, eyes closed and faces twisted in agony.

“Make it stop!” “It pains!” “Kill me and end the torture!”

The shouts pierced High Pixie’s mind. She still regretted running away. But someone had to tell Queen Titania and King Oberon about the danger. She still remembered the queen’s words.

“My dear High Pixie, out of all my servants you are the most dependable. You created a village in the scorched nation. You survived a spell, may fell to. In these dangerous times, we need someone like you. You and my husband Oberon will lead my armies against the angels the second we find how to stop the cursed song.”

Titania, with whom High Pixie had met only once, promoted her to the third-highest post in the fairy world on the spot!

After the horrible war had ended, High Pixie never wanted to meet another angel.

But that was the most surprising event in her life - one of those angels begged her to save a boy. And not just any angel, but the worst of them - Mastema, the one who ordered John and the woman to destroy her town.

He had sworn the highest angel oath, so the boy was not dangerous. She would not let him suffer. No, the punishment was for Mastema.

“What has changed?” asked High Pixie. It was the only question in her mind. She wanted to ask much more, but could not find the words. Ideas were fighting, twisting and killing each other in her mind. She could only say the simplest of them. “Before you were willing to murder anyone for your goals - like an angel. But now you are begging for help from me. What is the grand plan? Swear you will be telling only the truth.”

“I swear by all my Lord’s names to not speak a single lie. Everything has changed. You are a spirit of nature. You know it the best. Demons, angels and even gods come, exist, rule, die and are reborn. Maybe in a different form, or with a different name, but they share the memories. Yet this resurrection lets them see their past under new perspective - their mistakes, failures, sins

“There is a thing that can corrupt everyone. Glory, power, riches… For me it was power. I came into this world with the Three Wise Man, with the goal of saving humanity. But then I saw this place: the power of the Mothers and the Tyrants. Why had my Lord not given us the powers to defeat them, but we had to rely on humans. I thought it was a test - if I could bring the world He speaks of, he would bless me with a form closer to Him, than to other angels.

“But now He Himself had been corrupted. His will used to be a world, where humans were free, but if they strayed too far from His path, He had to test them. Yet now he only speaks of the destruction of the unclean and the death of all unbelievers.”

The High Pixie did not speak for a few moments. Mastema looked sincere, but from what she had heard, he could be manipulating her. On another side, he was under the highest oath - could an angel be so faithless to lie under it? She had just one problem with the angel’s story.

“I have heard from my queen herself, that YHWH, the one you call Lord, had been killed by Mem Aleph and the other mothers. Either even the reborn is as corrupt as the previous, or you are lying that he may change.”

The angel’s face twisted in horror. “Are you saying I am lying despite my oath? No, the reborn being is not my Lord. The Mothers of Schwarzwelt had shattered him in eight pieces. Two of them had fused together, and call themselves the Demiurge, creator of everything. They want the boy, due to his power.”

The High Pixie shot the oblivious question without thinking. “What power?”

For a few seconds, the angel kept quiet. High Pixie wanted to hit herself: Mastema had sworn to not lie, but he did not have to tell the truth. Just when she believed he would say nothing more, his voice sounded.

“No one, expect our Lord can say for sure. It is part of those mythical, even for us, flowers, which summon Schwarzwelt. Only two creatures have been on Earth for as long as them: our Lord and the mother Mem Aleph. I know he can destroy Mem Aleph, and nothing more.”

“I will grant the young boy protection so long I can. But you need to do something for me in exchange: a group of Jack Frost is fighting against my authority over them. My faeries are holding them in the deep parts of Antlia, but they have a leader with powers, we have never seen. If you stop them and make Antlia safe for faeries again, I will keep my side of the deal. Until you succeed, the boy will stay with me in the village.”

“Before I do as you say, you need to swear to keep the boy safe.”

High Pixie expected this moment to come if Mastema was as smart as said. He did not disappoint her.

“By Titania, Oberon, and Mab, I swear to keep the young human boy you brought under my protection. If I break my oath, may the three fairies banish me and brand me a liar.”

It seemed this was enough for Mastema as he left for the depths of Antlia.

* * *

 

“I never knew that humans’ darkness could be so beautiful,” said Hibiki to himself. He was in the garden of a huge, beautiful palace. Around him thousands and thousands of merchants were selling their stuff - rare spices from India, gold jewelry from Africa, beautiful silk fabrics…

Yet there was something off in the charm of this place. Something almost oblivious, yet whenever Hibiki tried to focus on it, it disappeared.

_ And I thought you knew humans better than me. The voice rang straight into Hibiki’s head. Polaris. _

_ Do you think I am leaving you alone? Schwarzwelt is the shadow of our world - while almost nothing could be dangerous to us there, here you must be careful. _

“So you are still going to help me?”

_ No - at this part of the floor he is at his weakest. A powerful angel had created some Holy weapon there long ago and the power is still there. Even though I created this as a prison, he is taking over it more and more. _

“He? Who is ‘he’? That was the first time Hibiki heard about the prison. “What being is so strong that you imprisoned him? Why you did not just throw him in the Void?”

_ He is weak. You will not meet him. Nobody is stupid or strong enough to free him. Even if they try, it impossible to do so without destroying Schwarzwelt. You will have more than enough time to escape if that happens. _

“So I am not getting more info, am I? OK, then I will find on my own. And what was that about knowing humans?”

_ Try and disobey me - it would be interesting. And as an answer to your question: try to look past the eyes. _

Past the eyes. What did that mean? It could be a metaphor for anything - to use his inner sight, or something like that…

_ Or that I do not use metaphors. _

Hibiki did not understand. He looked at the one gold-seller’s eyes: nothing unusual. They were a bit small, and colored gre… yell… The colors were changing fast, and the more Hibiki looked at them, the dizzier he felt. The Alcor blinked a few times. It was like the man’s whole body was made of fog. His hands blinked in and out of existence, his tail. But his face was the worst.

It looked like a disgusting mixture of monkey and human: fangs, too much hair, human features, the nose and the mouth moved as if they did not know where to stand.

“Oh. My. God. What is this?” screamed Hibiki. A Thousand of faces stared at him, each more twisted and rejecting than the previous. Snake fangs morphed into mouths, skin morphed into fur, hands morphed into paws with devious claws.

Hibiki had seen horrible things in his life. He had to deal with his family’s death twice, he had to fight for his life for days, he had to watch as his friends die so many times. Somehow he dealt with it - his friends needed help, there was still hope, they could repair everything.

But now? Now he was alone, with no reason to fight and no way to keep himself safe.

Hibiki could not bear it anymore. The scared Alcor closed his eyes and put his hands in front of his face, taking a defensive position. He felt a barrier forming around him, draining his powers - just like the Makarakan spell.

He opened his eyes and sighed - the merchants looking at him no longer morphed every second. They were simply demons.

_ Do you need more help to see past the glamour? I thought that since you know about demons, you will see instantly. _

Glamour. That explained a lot. The entire beauty was just a facade, hiding something disgusting under it.

_ Good, you figured out this place. Do not think even for a second what you see is the truth. _

“Could you not just tell me that?” Hibiki was furious. Who gave Eli this right - to scare him to death just for a lesson?

_ I gave it to myself personally. And I have learned long ago, that experience is the best teacher. Now would you look for the people I showed you, or I have to lead you the way? They should appear near the entrance. Go as close to the eastern point as possible. It should be somewhere there. _

Hibiki began walking to the east. After a few steps, he could not feel Eli anymore.

The first two minutes, he thought it would be easy. But the whole place was a maze. Okay, not too hard, he could still somehow find the entrance. Then he made a single wrong turn and found a pitch-dark corridor. Okay, just how confusing could that corridor be?

Few returns to that spot gave the answer - very. Hibiki swore he was taking different paths, yet every time he saw some light, the Alcor ended up at the same place - between a Dantalion selling gold and an Agathion offering the best Magnetite.

“I do not suppose Alcor’s powers include night vision, do they?” asked Hibiki.

Nobody answered him, so he entered the stupid darkness, silently cursing whoever build it.

* * *

 

Seven days ago Rapunzel went to follow the way of the rocks. Seven days ago Cassandra and Eugene came with her. Seven days ago they believed they went on the adventure of their lives. Seven days ago that seemed to be a good idea.

Now, not so much. Their horses had tired themselves not long ago and they had to stop. Not much food was remaining. At the worst of all, no one had any idea where they were.

It was a total silence - even the birds were not singing. Maybe because still there were about two hours before sunrise.

At least one thing was good - the black-paved path was coming to close. About a few kilometers they could see a mountain. The black scar of rocks reached only over a small part of it. There could be at least some answers.

The earth under them shook somewhat weak. That was bad, too - since they began the journey weak earthquakes had struck Corona. They had yet to become something to worry a lot, but each quake a bit harder than the previous.

Cassandra looked at their small camp and smiled. She remembered Rapunzel, who just a few hours ago insisted she did not need rest and they had to hurry. If she was as energetic as she said, then why had she fallen asleep the second she laid down?

After Cassandra and Eugene had set up a small fire, they began to argue who was going to be first on guard. After a few long minutes, they managed to wake up Rapunzel and she calmed them down.

That girl was amazing. She always could keep people calm and collected. If it was not for her, Cassandra would have killed Eugene long ago. Actually, if it was not her, they would probably have never met.

Rapunzel always believed in the good of people, but not foolishly much. She was almost like an angel, sent by the Great Mother to Earth. Cassandra knew the myths of Corona almost perfect, even if she did not believe in them.

Suddenly a shadow flashed between the trees. Cassandra blinked. It could be just because she was tired, but what if it was not? The woman picked up her sword and went in the direction of the shadow.

The forest was thick and dark. Cassandra could barely see just in front of her. Where could the shadow…? There! To the woman’s left, a twig broke. Cassandra turned to the direction and rose her sword.

There was a dim red light between the trees. Fire, maybe? Could another person be lost in the woods? Or was he looking for something? After a few more minutes walking, Cassandra saw a camp.

Near the fire sat a woman with a long white hair. Half her face was painted red. She had a strong, muscular build. But her sword was the most interesting - it looked as if it was made of the black rocks. The firelight danced over it, throwing spots all over the forest. The woman took the sword and stabbed the ground.

“The Sun drop is close. And is getting closer.” She closed her eyes and glided a hand over the blade. “Almost mine.”

Cassandra sneaked back to her camp. The white-haired woman looked powerful, and Cassandra did not know if she was alone. Her best option was to warn Rapunzel.


	4. Chapter IV - Out in the Cold

The palace was nothing remarkable. At least it was not of ice and thus somewhat warmer than the other frozen wasteland. On another side, it had been built with faeries in mind. So Varian had to stay near it with the green woman and wait for Mastema and the fairy. At least the green woman was much more talkative than the angel. In the short waiting time, Varian learned a lot about the Schwarzwelt and this place.

“You said ‘Schwarzwelt’ is a name, that humans gave.” asked the boy. His eyes were lit with curiosity. “Who were those humans? When have they come? Why no one knows about them?”

The fairy began to speak. Her voice was like a song, sweet and nice to the ears. “It was many human lifetimes ago. I can tell you their story, but the names are taboo for the demons. They came in their ships made of cold iron and flooded our world. At first, they were kind, or at least not so bad. One of them even helped High Pixie create this village. He often came and spoke with us.

“But then he changed. The man sided with the angels and fought to destroy the will of humans. For us, the faeries, freedom is the greatest of all gifts. We could not have let him win.” Small tears formed in the green woman’s eyes. She wiped them off and continued.

“Yet he - she spoke the word with as much hate as possible - was one step ahead. He, the man and one woman came into our village. The woman began singing. It was horrible, painful torture! I protected my High Pixie and myself with my own song, but the others…  The three deserve the same fate! To be almost destroyed, neither dead nor alive! How can they speak of justice and goodness, when they deem anyone, who believes in freedom unjust?”

The green woman hit the wall of the palace in rage and small cracks formed in the wall. She looked shocked and took a breath, before speaking again.

“I am sorry. My emotions got the better of me. But how could that angel dare to ask favors of us?” Her voice rose again. The song sounded less nice and more like a war anthem. “My High Pixie will reject his offer. We will protect you and send you home - that angel is only going to use you. Like he used him!”

Varian did not know what to say. Mastema, the one he traveled with, looked nice and innocent. The boy could not picture the angel doing so horrible things. But appearances lied and Varian knew that first hand.

Who did the boy trust more - the angel or the faeries? If the young alchemist asked Mastema directly, he would say all words were lies and tell his own version of the story.

“How are you, Varian? Do you feel cold?” The High Pixie had come. Alone.

‘Where is Mastema?” asked he. Was he left alone, with three faeries? Had the angel given up on his words? Just like Varian expected.

“I made a deal with him. I will keep you from his master and care for you. I will help you find and train your powers until he can take you. In exchange, he will defeat the Jack Frost army deep in our land.”

So Varian was only a prize. He had to be kept, cared for and trained. The fairy and Mastema did not even give him a choice. The angel had promised him answers. Another lie.

Rage was building inside Varian. How dare they do this? It was much stronger than anything he ever felt. Stronger than his hate for Rapunzel, the king, and even Corona. The primal urge to destroy tore down every reason and inhibition.

 _Break. Tear. Destroy. Burn. Shatter._ All his anger came to the top of his mind. He felt the ground under him vibrating with power.

The Sun drop creates, the Moon drop destroys.

Varian felt all the fire, hate and anger in the place. His first thought was: ‘This is incredible!’ His second: ‘Let’s free it.’

Mindless, suppressed rage became free in a moment. Varian’s blue hair lock glowed bright - just like a full moon.

With a horrible sound, all that power was thrown in the village. For seconds, Varian’s mind was empty. There was only complete bliss - like for the first time in his life, he was free. Then the boy looked around himself.

It was like watching a wildfire - Varian knew it was horrible, but could not stop. The whole palace was broken. There was no more snow, but only scorched land. Many ruins were scattered over it. Many fairies, who looked drunk, kept destroying everything in their ways. From the peaceful village a few seconds ago, the whole place was reduced into fine dust. And it was his fault.

The guilt crept into his mind, killing quickly any happiness. Yes, they were using him as a pawn, but did they deserve this? Did all of them knew, or only the queen? Varian could run away and leave it. He could die in the cold alone and hope they would never see him.

But he did not. If he ran, if he left this town in shambles, how could he look in his father’s eyes again?

Instead, he fell down on the ash and began crying.

After a while, he felt a comforting touch on his back. He turned around - it was the High Pixie.

Varian tried to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat. How do you apologize for destroying a kingdom?

“What? Was? That?” asked she, taking deep breaths between each word. Once she calmed, she spoke again. “Mastema did not know about this power. You did not know about this power. But now it is clear you have the powers of destruction - Mem Aleph’s flower, most likely.”

The boy said nothing. He tried to ask why she was not angry, what she meant by Mem Aleph and a thousand other things. But he could only manage to point at the broken palace.

“Oh, that? My palace and the area around it is covered by a magic spell. It should protect anyone from attacking it, and it works from the inside, too. My faeries are well. Even I and Silky, who were just by you, are unscratched. What were you thinking when you exploded my palace?”

After a few deep breaths, Varian spoke. “Hate. Hate at you and Mastema, because you are only using me. Hate at Corona, because they left me alone. And a wish for destruction. I freed all that rage at once and the destruction came with it.”

“It may have sounded like that, did not it? I am sorry, but Mastema cares for you. He could have let you to his master, you would have been charmed and forced to fight for them. You need to train your powers, so we can find what they are and avoid situations like these.” The High Pixie’s voice was soft. She calmed down Varian until the boy could focus on his thoughts.

“How can I trust you?”

“You just have to. Or you can leave and try to be alone. The blessing I gave you should protect you from the cold. I will lie to Mastema, that you have disappeared. I will try to lead him off your trail. What do you choose?”

Hard question. If he was a bargaining chip, why she gave him such a choice? Maybe she really cared for him; she also did not get angry with the destroyed palace. And if she was telling the truth, so did Mastema…

Mastema! “You said Mastema is deep under us. Could the quake have hit him? He could be stuck!” shouted Varian. He hoped the High Pixie would say something, like ‘Angels cannot be killed by rubble”, but she looked scared. “Is he in danger?”

“Go and find him, Varian!” she said. “The way downwards is near. Go to the west, until you see a green building. Then north as much as possible and at the end west. Hurry up! I will send help the second I can.”

Before the boy could argue he had no way to protect himself from the creatures in this place, the fairy flew into the broken palace, then after a few seconds, she came with a knife. “Use this to protect yourself. It should stop demons from attacking,” said she, as she gave it to him.

Varian went through the gap in the wall and then west. Did he trust Mastema completely? No. Did he want to leave his savior alone under potential rubble? Even less.

If only the boy could see the devious smirk on the High Pixie.

* * *

Varian ran as fast as he could. The High Pixie was right - some strange demons neared Varian, but the second they saw the knife they ran away. He felt no cold, nor anything attacked him. For the first time, since he entered this horrible place, things looked bright.

And then he had to be stopped. By a wall. It looked like the seal that Mastema broke on his way to the village. But the boy had no way to break it. Maybe the power he used before? But Varian neither knew how to use it, nor how to control it. If he used it and the whole corridor fell on him?

Maybe there was another way downwards? He went to the left, where another similar door stood. At least it had no seal. Varian touched it and it opened, leaving him to see the crashed… what was that?

It looked like a ship, but without any masts. On its front there were cannons, and it was made for land since it had wheels. The body was metal and the thing looked like a flying fortress.

Varian tried to get closer and see it better. But as he neared it, a door slid and few tiny snowmen and pumpkins ran out of the iron ship.

“Human! We won’t give you the hee-ship, ho!” shouted what looked like the leader. He wore a strange golden helmet and green suit, with white on the sleeves. “This is our hee-ship, ho! You cannot take it back!”

Varian raised the knife. Almost all demons gasped and began to whisper among themselves. Only the one in uniform went to the boy. “So you are sent from hee-Majesty, ho? What are her orders, boy?”

The mask looked like it was always smiling - unlike the voice. It was just like Cass’s voice, when she was angry - an omen of doom and destruction

“Well? I have no whole day, hee-ho!”

“She sent me to save… someone. But I cannot break the seal on the way.” If Varian said Master's name, the demons were going to eat him for sure.

“Hee-Majesty did not say anything about you. But if you carry that hee-knife, I have to help you, ho. Lead me to the seal, boy, and fast!”

When they returned to the place, the demon picked up some strange, black thing. He pointed it at the seal and pushed some strange lever. Something bright shot from a thin part in the front, then once more. The seal broke in pieces.

“Well, boy, hee-this is it, ho! I have jobs to do on the ship, so you alone.” said the thing in uniform and left Varian alone. The boy tried to walk, but something tugged his trousers. He looked at them for the first time, since he woke up.

They were no pretty sight in the slightest: torn, dusty and at even bloodied. And at their bottom, near the shoe, a small snow demon was trying to eat Varian alive, yet his small fangs could not even break the fabric.

Varian patted the thing on the head. It turned to Varian and tried to look as cute and innocent as possible. “I am sorry, hee-ho! You had hee-blood on you trouser, ho! Blood is really tasty! Can you blame me, hee-ho?” As the tiny blood-thirsty snowman licked his lips, his eyes lit. “Can I make something in exchange? I know, I will be your demon, hee-ho! Hee-Master, what is your first order?”

Varian’s first thought was to say ‘no’. What use had he for a tiny, man-eating demon out of snow?

“I understand, hее-ho.” The smile, just second ago impossibly big, now was a tiny frown. The demon’s voice was drenched with sadness. “I will just go to the hee-ship, where no one care for me, ho. I will never ever leave this place, or even find my parents’ murderer, hee-ho. No one ever takes me seriously, hee-ho.”

Guilt pierced Varian’s heart. He could not just leave the tiny spirit alone like this. It was almost like his own life. “You can come with me.” said the boy.

“Really! You trust me, Hee-Master! The other man I met said I was copying someone’s story. But you are nothing like him! We will be friends forever-ever-ever! Jack and hee-Master …” The sadness evaporated as fast as it came. Varian thought Jack Frost maybe was lying, but then realized: if there were more seals, he would need its help.

“Varian. Call me only Varian.”

“Okay, hee-Varian, ho! Let’s go on our adventure!”

* * *

“Are we there yet?”

“No.”

“And now?”

“No.”

“And now?”

“Do you see an angel?”

“Yes!” shouted the Jack Frost and pointed to the left. The woman there certainly had wings - and nothing angelic. According to the tales, angels were modest, gentle and caring creatures. She was anything but. Her clothes - for the broadest possible definition of clothes - covered only enough, so the woman was not naked.

The angel noticed and flew to them. Her face showed no emotion. With an emotionless voice, she said: “Do you like what you are seeing, boy?”

“No!” shouted Varian, voice full of fear. If she was as powerful as people said angels were, he was doomed.

“Yes!” shouted Jack Frost at the same time, oblivious to the danger.

The angel looked a bit sad. “Oh, could you not be truthful? And they say demons are liars,” said she and flew off.

The Jack looked at the boy disappointed. “Hee-Varian, why did you not said the truth? She could have agreed to come with us and then I could have fused with her.”

Varian was conflicted. On one side, he wanted to know what this fusion was. On other, from what he could see, the explanation would likely burn his mind forever. In the end, he decided to ask someone, who would not tell him unneeded details. Maybe some old demon woman, who got easily ashamed. Yes, that would be for the best.

But now he had to deal with a disappointed Jack. Was there a guide for this? ‘To not make your demon angry, say this or that.’

As he tried to say something, the Jack pointed to something. “Hey, look there! Are you speaking about that angel?”

There lied many pieces of rubble. A lone, black wing could be seen under them.

“Can you somehow free him? You are tiny, but…”

The demon went to the pile of ice and rocks and began taking it piece by piece. Huge, heavy boulders were moved in a matter of seconds by the tiny snowman. There was no way for Varian to get used to this place. Soon Mastema was free and the Jack Frost was looking over him.

“Is he your hee-angel, ho? He is badly hurt, but you are lucky - Doctor Frost knows the best cure for an almost-killed angel. We need a Bead - and I know where we can find one.” said Jack and began walking. Varian had nothing better to do than follow him.

Soon they passed through one gate more. Varian’s breath stopped: they were no more in the frozen wasteland. No, they were in a fiery, snowy inferno. The buildings around him were torn and burning, the snow was covered in blood.

“What are you waiting? We have to hee-hurry, ho!” said Jack and pointed forwards. “There is someone, who has the Beads.”

In the red world, the snow was much deeper. It was hard to walk through it or over it without tripping at least a hundred times. After falling once more, Varian shook the black snow off his clothes and looked up.

A big, scary monster stood in front of him. It looked like something out of a tale, with which parents would scare the children, who go out after dark. Red skin, huge, and sharp teeth. “A human! I have not seen of you ever since you betrayed us! And I just was getting hungry! Oh, I am so lucky today!” Its voice was like a hammer hitting metal - sharp and painful to hear. But Varian was not afraid - he just raised the High Pixie’s knife and pointed it at the monster.

For one long, dreadful second, nothing happened. Then the monster laughed: “Oh, no! You are protected by the almighty High Pixie! Let me tell a secret - no one here is afraid of her. We have a more powerful master, who will tear her to pieces! But first I will tear you!” roared the demon and attacked Varian.

The boy dodged to the left and tried to think of something. He could use the knife - but the monster could easily kill him if the boy got too close. He could not just keep on running, either. Varian tried to make a plan, but before that Jack Frost threw something at the monster.

“Eat that, you hee-monster, ho!” His hand glowed yellow and a small sphere formed in it. The snowman threw it at the red monster’s face. It fell in the snow, stunned.

“Quick, hee-Varian! Attack it, while it is stunned!” Varian did not need to be told twice. He ran to the fallen monster and stabbed it where the heart should be. The demon stopped moving.

“How did you do that?” asked Varian.

“Demon skills change when we grow stronger!” answered the fairy. “We have to be careful, hee-ho! The others are somewhere close!”

That was true, unfortunately. Varian could not just walk carelessly and stick out his knife to drive away the enemies. “Well, Jack, what other things you can do?”

* * *

Jack Frost was quite helpful, actually. His Zio and Bufula stunned most of the enemies and Varian could finish them with the knife. Soon, the enemies began trying to avoid them.

At the end of the route, there was another of the green towers. Against it stood a strange stone with runes on it. Two dark pillars surrounded it. On the ground around it, there was no snow and it glowed brightly.

In front of them, there was another door. “This is the hee-place, ho! Now we find strong-looking demons and make them give us an item. Ready, set, ho!” shouted Jack Frost and ran to somewhere. Varian could either run and hope to find him, or stay in place and hope it will come back. Both meant possibly meeting demons, but if he moved he had a better chance to find his demon.

After a short walk, he saw an armored man. But there was something off about him - he stepped softly, leaving no traces in the thick snow. As the knight came closer, Varian saw the reason: the man was not walking, but flying with his red wings. Why were there so many angels in this place?

“Ah, a human. I have not seen one of your kind ever since we were defeated. How did you survive in such a place for so long, if I may ask?”

Varian knew angels and faeries hated each other, so saying the truth was out of the question. But angels also hated liars, and if he slipped, the angel could get angry. In the end, Varian decided to stick to the truth, but say as less as possible. “I had to run from the demons.”

The angel did not look angry, but sad. “I understand you, boy. Even I had to run from fights in this place. Oh, how low the mighty have fallen… To hide from the faeries, who massacred us… Take this boy, and use it, if you get hurt.” said the angel, giving Varian a small, red bead and then flying away.

Varian kept walking in the snow until he heard jingling bells. Maybe the ones from Jack Frost’ hat. As he walked in that direction, something very fast, white and cold crashed into Varian.

“Hee-Varian, we have to run! Fast!” Before the boy could even say something, the demon took him by the hand and took him back to the stairs, then the upper floor. Soon they were next to Mastema’s lying body. “I am sorry for this, hee-Varian, but we had to run fast! I saw the Oni’s master and it was hee-scary, ho! We could find the Bead somewhere else, or…” Suddenly the demon looked at Varian.

“Oh, Hee-Varian, you have found a Bead! Quick, give it!” Jack snatched the red thing a crushed it onto Mastema’s skin. The angel’s breath evened and his eyes opened. Soon, he was flying over the ground, like nothing had happened.

“Child of man, why have you come here? I told the High Pixie to watch over you in her village,” asked he. After Varian told him everything, Jack Frost spoke.

“The other demons’ Hee-Master is there, too! He has taken Morax’s room! We have to defeat him! Now!”

“What demon is that master?” asked Mastema. So far, he had said nothing about Jack Frost, or that Varian has allied himself with a demon.

“He is hee-Black Frost Ace, ho!” Varian had no idea what was that, but Mastema showed no fear.

“We are going to defeat him right now.” said the angel.

* * *

The forest was thick, and the lack of light did not help. For most people, it would be easy to get lost. But Cassandra was not most people - as long as she remembered, she had a single goal: to get in the Royal Guard. And navigation was one of the required skills.

At the camp, the fire was not burning anymore. Cassandra’s heart skipped a beat. Could something have happened to Rapunzel? She picked up her sword and quietly neared the camp. There was no one there, only a long trail of steps reaching in the forest.

As Cassandra followed them, she found the parts of the woods similar. She was getting closer and closer to the white-haired woman’s camp. But now there were three of them.

“We will win this time for sure.” began the one on the left.

“Those demons will not know what hit them” continued the one in the middle.

“We only need to get in Schwarzwelt again, and restore our power.” finished the one on the right.

Near them, Rapunzel and Eugene were tied to a tree. They were trying unsuccessfully to break free. Strange - the so-called best thief should have freed himself already.

“Oh, do not worry. We do not intend to hurt you.”

“We just need the power of your hair to save everyone from danger.”

“It is for your own good.”

Were those three always speaking like that - from left to the right? It was getting boring.

“Once we return home, we will take the flower’s power to restore us.”

What could they need the flower for? Cassandra thought about her options. She could not just attack and hope to win. She could try freeing Rapunzel and Eugene and then running, but if the three women caught them, they were going to lose their only hope. The best choice was to wait. Oh, how Cassandra hated waiting…

Soon the woman stopped talking. One of them went to Rapunzel and Eugene and picked them up. Then the three began walking. To where Cassandra was standing.

She sneaked out of their way but kept on watching them. So far, they were following the black rock road. Most likely, the place called Schwarzwelt was at its end. What could it be?

But how more it would take to go there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 4. Sorry I was late, but yesterday the net was horrible. On another note, writing Cassandra's parts is getting harder and harder.


	5. Chapter V - Everybody goes to Schwarzwelt

“So, what is Black Frost Ace?” asked Varian. The group of an angel, human and Jack Frost was walking under the blood-red sky. The plan was simple: find the king of these demons and destroy it. The closer they got to him, the more demons began attacking. Most of them were either Onis or other Jack Frosts.

“A hee-monster, ho! Remember the man, that said I was copying someone’s story? He was hee-right, ho! Frost Ace was the best hee-ro, ho!  He did good but was dark and conflicted. But at the end, he became the very monster he fights - is that not the most heroic of all endings, hee-ho?”

Actually, Varian had better ideas for ‘the most heroic of all endings’, but did not have the energy to argue with the tiny demon.

“Black Frosts are hee-evil monsters, ho! They freeze and burn and kill! They do not believe in love and justice, but only in hate and destruction! If the greatest of all heroes can fall this low, then what are the normal snowmen’ chances to resist it?”

Before the little fairy could say at least a hundred 4061 reasons why Black Frost Ace was the best hero, Mastema spoke. “Close to nothing. This place is created to corrupt everyone and everything.” A deep sigh escaped from the angel’s lips. The words sounded like he was speaking from experience. “Even the greatest of us could not resist it.” For a second, the angel’s beautiful face twisted.

A deep guilt was poisoning the angel. What could it be? Varian had to know. If the High Pixie was lying and Mastema was tricking him, the boy would need every weapon to defeat him.

The group neared the place with the green objects. Mastema opened the doors.

In front of them stood another Frost. It was much taller and pitch-black. A silver, horned helmet crowned his head. He was wearing another silver cape on his neck. His suit was black, with bright-white A on it.

It looked like a monster. It looked like a challenge. It looked like…

“Mel Faize!” shouted Mastema. Bright light consumed the Black Frost Ace and once it disappeared, the mighty monster fell on the ground. An uncountable number of Jack Frosts looked first at their fallen master, then at the angel.

“All hail our new master, hee-ho! All hail hee-Mastema!” shouted they. The army surrounded him. “What is your order, hee-master.”

“You will stop attacking the High Pixie’s village and return to the ship.” said the angel.

That was the most anticlimactic battle Varian had ever seen.

* * *

 

Where was Cassandra when one needed her? Her job was to watch for danger, while Eugene and Rapunzel were sleeping. Then where was she when the two women attacked? It took them about half a minute to catch and bind the pair with some super-strong rope.

Then, the two women led them to a camp, not far away. The second one of them freed Rapunzel’s mouth, she asked: “Who are you?”

“We are Shekinah.” answered a voice from the camp. Another woman came under the moonlight and stood between the first two.

“We are everything left from a noble goal.” said the right one.

“And we want revenge on the demons, that dared attacking us.” finished the left one.

So they were going to finish each other’s words? Great - it never meant anything good when twins did that and triplets were even worse.

“We will win this time for sure.” began the one on the left.

“Those demons will not know what hit them” continued the one in the middle.

“We only need to get in Schwarzwelt again, and restore our power.” finished the one on the right.

Eugene was still trying to break himself free.  He was Flynn Raider, for heaven’s sake! How could a simple knot beat him? The women noticed him because they began speaking again.

“Oh, do not worry. We do not intend to hurt you.”

“We just need the power of your hair to save everyone from danger.”

“It is for everybody's good.”

* * *

 

Eugene did not know when he fell asleep, but the next morning one of the Shekinah woke him up.

“We will begin walking,” said she.

“The entrance is near.” added the second.

“We must get there fast.” finished the third.

They took Eugene and Rapunzel by their arms and began the trip. Rapunzel looked at the forest, while Flynn was breaking free, and pulled his sleeve. He turned to look and the sight gave him hope.

Strangely, it was Cassandra. Eugene had never felt so relieved to see her. But she could not just attack the women and hope to win. Maybe she had a good plan? Not as good as Eugene could make, of course, but still usable.

A few hours later, the sun was setting. The women’s gasp was getting more and more powerful. While they were traversing the woods, Cass was sneaking behind them. Hopefully, her plan consisted of everybody living.

Just after the moon rose, the three women threw Rapunzel and Eugene in a cave. Few strange suits were hanging on a rock.

“Put them over your clothes, so they will protect you.”

“We are going in a world, that can kill you easily.”

“And you need to be alive for the ritual.”

Eugene did as said. The second he put the helmet on, it glowed. Words appeared in front of his eyes.

“Initialising system. DEMOuntable Next Integrated Capability Armor online.” More text flashed before Eugene’s eyes before it stopped.

“You are the sole survivor on a battlefield. You are hidden, with no ammunition in your pistol. You detect a single enemy approaching. How will you deal with this enemy, equipped only with the empty gun.”

What was that gun? It sounded like it was something more powerful than a knife, and fighting the enemy with a weaker weapon was not an option. Eugene picked the last option: ‘Stay hidden until he passes’. But how was he going to choose it? He looked at his hands and saw that one had the three options written on it. The man pressed the last one and it changed. The words on the helmet changed, too.

“While infiltrating enemy territory, you spot the man who killed your comrade and closest friend. You can kill him easily, but the gunshot will expose you and your infiltration will be compromised. Will you avenge your friend or focus on your objective?”

Hard choice. Was that test written especially for that? From all options, the last sounded the best, again: ‘Find a way to do both.’

“You have been in a remote area on a mission and your relief has not arrived on schedule. You can abort the mission and go home now, but you have enough supplies to stay here longer. What do you do?”

If they have not come yet, what was the chance they would even come? But just leaving everything was something, that Flynn Rider would have done. Eugene was another man, so he chose the second: ‘Wait as long as you can.’ If they had left him alone, for sure, then he would leave. But he would wait as long as possible.

“You are piloting a helicopter to refuel. En route, an ally under attack requests help. You can help him, but it will take your remaining fuel, and it will be difficult to leave afterward. Other pilots have also received the distress signal, but you are closest to his position.”

What was a helicopter - some sort of flying machine? The further Eugene got in the test, the more horrible and different the women seemed. He thought that maybe it needed fuel to fly, and without one, it would be stuck to the ground. Then how could help the ally, when both of them would be defenseless on the ground? Probably, the best option was one, even if it sounded heartless: ‘Refuel and let an ally take him.’

The turn of another question came. “On a mission in occupied territory, you are asked whether to capture a religious leader who may be a spy. Catching a spy would be a great achievement, but the people may riot if this leader is captured. How will you approach the religious leader, suspected of spying.”

Well, masses of people were dangerous - just a bunch of Corona people and the guards managed to defeat Varian’s whole automaton army. And the man could not be a spy. As for his choice, Eugene gave the first: ‘Keep watching him for now.’

“You have been sent to the Schwarzwelt, where conditions are expected to be harsh. Yet you have advanced equipment, a strong ship, the latest tech, and dependable comrades. Will the Schwarzwelt investigation mission succeed?”

Wait, what was the Schwarzwelt? Eugene’s somewhat lacking knowledge of German said it was black… something. And where were the things listed in the second sentence? He tried to pick the last option, but it did not work. He touched it once more, and then again, with the same success. In the end, he tried the other options. Only the first one worked: ‘Yes.’ Why would someone make a question with three answers and only one working?

“There are no more questions. Thank you for your cooperation. The support type, best suited to your tendencies is determined to be speed support.” Suddenly Eugene saw the world as before again, but there were some words on the left. But before he could check them, one of the women pushed him to go forwards.

Deep in the cave, there was a misty wall. Eugene could not even see behind it.

“It has grown even with our powers slowing it.” began the women again.

“When we leave this world, it will be even faster.”

“Our time limit is getting lower and lower.”

The three women held their hands. Soft, white aura surrounded Eugene and Rapunzel. Then the women pushed them into the mist. Hot, fiery pain crashed into Eugene’s body from all directions. He tried to fight it off, but in the end, he fainted.

The infernal darkness was the last thing he saw.

* * *

 

Fog. Coldness. Pain. Eugene’s mind had woken up, but his body refused to follow. What had happened? Had the fog killed him? Was this death? Was he doomed to be alone in the darkness, forever?

Warmth filled his body. It was so sudden and powerful, that he felt like burning. After a few seconds, his eyes opened. Over him, a thin, black circle hovered in the air. Next to him lied another bony, dressed in the strange suit.

Over them flew a… What was that? It had at least four different faces. At least three of them had golden hair, that looked like a wing. Their skin was like a night sky, but with eyes and grinning face.

The other one rose.

“Good. The flower is still alive. Let us go to the ritual place.” The voice of the women came from the monster’s mouths.

Some strange aura surrounded Eugene and Rapunzel. Then the four-faced monster flapped... her, maybe, wings and the three flew over the edge of the white ground. Under them stood a huge tower, reaching above the clouds. They all began diving, all the way to the ground.

Soon, they reached some strange, big door. It opened and the monster threw Eugene and Rapunzel through it.

Around them, it was some sort of building out of metal. The strange thing entered behind them and then separated in the three women once again.

“Thanks to the humans, we can use this to travel through the world.”

“Even though the faeries defeated us and created a new world, we will stop them.”

“Soon, we will be whole once again and restore the world to its proper shape.”

As they left the area, Eugene tired to move. He failed - it felt like he had no control over his own body. Suddenly, the whole building shook and he felt as if they were rising.

Soon, there was another shaking. The three women returned to the room. One of them held out a strange red egg. Blinding like came and they became one. She opened the door and Eugene got to see outside. They were in the gardens of a castle, everywhere was full of merchants, but no one was a human. Wings, horns, even tails - no one looked even remotely normal.

“Ominous star!” shouted someone. Sick, green aura covered the monster. She tried to attack whatever shouted, but her attacks were thrown back. She fell down on the floor.

“Come with me, if you want to live!” said the one, who saved him. He was a human, wearing a strange white hoodie and blue pants. Usually, Eugene would not have trusted him, but there was not another option.

Rapunzel had already gone towards the boy, so Eugene followed her. The boy took the by had and they melted in the air. The last thought in Eugene’s mind was ‘When did life get so strange?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, I am sorry that I am late. But here is the next chapter. On other note, the updates are moving to Monday evening. I hope you liked the chapter.


	6. Chapter V - Beginning of a Strange Journey

After the horribly boring fight, Varian and the team returned to the village. As soon as they neared it, the High Pixie came, took Mastema for herself and began speaking. Varian tried to hear what they were speaking, but heard nothing.

After a while, the conversation ended. Mastema flew away to somewhere, leaving Varian alone. Again. The High Pixie went to Varian and spoke to him.

“My boy, I can give you two choices.” began the fairy. “You can stay here, train your powers, and wait for Mastema’s plan. Here it should be safe and secure, until you are ready. Once that time comes, he will call us and the plan will begin. You will help him defeat Mem Aleph once for all and his master will be unopposed.”

‘Or, shortened version, I will be a pawn with no choice in a plan I know nothing about,’ thought Varian.

“But I can offer you something else. Since the angels defeated the demons and the fairies defeated the angels, Schwarzwelt had been torn apart by fights. Most demons do not like taking orders from faeries.

“I another part of Schwarzwelt, called Bootes, the demons have begun a riot. My sis there cannot fight them alone. You defeated the leader of this sector’s rebels. I believe you could help me there, too. My sis there rules from the castle of Mitra. He was a demon of science and we cannot let the rebels get his inventions.”

“What do you choose, Varian?” asked the High Pixie and looked at Varian’s eyes.

“You did not look like the type to use people” answered the boy.

The High Pixie giggled. “Nothing in Schwarzwelt is what you think it is. What is your choice?”

The only choice was whose pawn Varian would be. Not many options. Ever since he entered this world, he was someone’s pawn. His father would be so proud of him. 

His father! He was still stuck in the crystal prison at home. Varian tried everything and everything failed. Nothing he knew about could break the crystal. But the Schwarzwelt was filled with things Varian did not know about. Maybe something could break the amber and free him.

And it could very well be in that palace. And High Pixie told Varian more about her plan than Mastema ever did.

“When am I going in Bootes?” asked Varian.

The High Pixie smiled. “Great! I believe you have already visited the Frost Ship.” said she, looking at the Jack Frost. “Go there. Some rooms should still be usable for humans. Rest well, while I prepare my forces.” answered she.

As Varian got away, she looked to Silky. “Go and prepare the other soldiers. Then go to Demonee-ho and make sure he won’t be too hard on the little Frosty.

“Also, tell him to show the boy every data on the ship, we have found. Every device, log and whatever he wants. We cannot let our little Tam Lin escape now, can we?” asked the High Pixie, giggling.

* * *

The closer Varian got to the Frost Ship, the more anxious Jack Frost got. What would the Hee-General say? The Jack ran without notice. At best, they were going to shout to him a lot and force him to do hee-riblle work, ho! At worst, they were going to banish him in the horrible place, w-hee-re they took his brothers and sisters for those horrible experiments, ho!

Maybe he could run far away, but where? The Fairy kingdom now ruled almost whole Schwarzwelt. No, he was going to be a hee-ro, ho! Jack was going to take the punishment and not cry. Maybe. He was so nervous, that he began chewing his claws. Mmm, strawberry nail polish topping. It was so calming. If Jack survived, he had to get some more.

Maybe he was a major character this time. Maybe he was not going to be killed mid-sentence or forgotten soon. He only had to hope.

The sound of the door opening snapped Jack out of his thoughts.

There, in the empty door frame, stood his worst nightmare. It was half a meter tall, with a big smile and the cutest suit ever. The Hee-General.

“So we have a deserter hee-re, do not we, ho?” said he, looking at the Jack Frost with that big smile of his. “And what should hee-s punishment be, guys?” asked the Demonee-ho, looking at the other Faeries in the ship.

“Exile! Exile! Exile!” shouted they all. Maybe the author was not as kind as Jack hoped. So this was his last moment, soon to be forgotten by readers.

“But Hee-Majesty told me, that you had helped against the rebels, ho. So we are not exiling you.” said he. His cheerful eyes pierced whatever Jack Frost had instead of a soul. “Yet. Return to your post now, soldier. And better be fast, hee-ho!”.

Then the Hee-General’s gaze turned to Varian. “As for you, boy, Hee-Majesty gave me a special order, ho! Come with me to suit you for the journey and then take you to your room.”

The Demonee-ho took the boy by hand in the ship. Jack ran as fast as he could to his post.

* * *

 

The Universe was solid once again. Eugene felt sick. Melting in the air and reappearing somewhere else was unpleasant.

He looked around. A big mistake: thousands of tubes with more of this inhumane things stuffed inside. Their faces were twisted in horrible agony, afraid and pleading.

He turned to the boy, that brought them there. He was leaning against one of the tubes and breathing heavily.

“How… How did Alcor do this all the time?” asked he to no one. “He… here there should not be any demons. We are safe.” And with those words he dropped out cold.

Demons? Were that the things Eugene saw? Were not demons just a folk tale, like the weather machine or the sun drop, or… Huh, if these existed, they why not demons, too?

The man looked for Rapunzel. She sat on the ground and reading. Next to her there was a skeleton, dressed in a suit, close to the one Eugene was wearing, but without helmet. The women were right - it looked like a bad idea to take the suits off.

Then how did their savior survive? There were so many questions, but they had to wait until the boy awoke.

“Look.” said the princess and pointed to the ground, near the skeleton. There was something carved in the floor. It was hard to read, but Eugene could get ‘Fight’, ‘Demon’ and ‘Escape’. If the demons had escaped from there and fought, then why was the place ‘safe’?

Rapunzel held a sword and something black in her hand. “I found them near the corpse” said she. “There could be something for you, too.”

Suddenly, the area got very bright. Eugene turned to the boy - the light was coming from him. His body was turning into soft dust and that dust was reforming. It looked like a cube with blue and white stripes. Some strange metal triangles were floating around it.

Eugene looked on the ground and found one of those black things. He tried to get near the thing, but Rapunzel had already gone in front of him. She was standing straight up, with the black thing pointed at the thing. Eugene did the same thing.

The boy’s eyes opened. He looked at them and asked only one thing. “Would you please tell me, why are you trying to shoot yourselves?”

* * *

Schwarzwelt was a mirror to humanity. What humans did reflected there, only magnified. And like every mirror, cracks were forming in it. With Mem Aleph out of the picture, the world was tearing apart, bit by bit.

The humans’ ship had not helped matters, either. Every time humans had flown between the sectors, they had formed even more cracks. Thanks to them Hibiki did not have to make many jumps - he just sneaked into a crack and digged it deeper. It took more energy than expected, but worked.

And now he had passed out cold in the middle of Schwarzwelt. Eli was right - the very place was like Alioth’s toxin to him. Maybe he could find one of those Demonicas for himself.

But that was going to wait until he woke up. He needed a good rest after breaking the fabric of space. Hibiki laughed - when had such thoughts become normal for him?

As soon as he fell asleep, something pulled his mind. Hibiki could try to resist it with Alcor’s power, but he wanted to know what was that thing. Maybe that mysterious ‘he’, about whom Eli spoke? One way to find out.

He let his mind float away to the place calling him. As he got closer, he began hearing something.

_ It is not enough. The Great Will sure knows his work. But you, young boy, are my ticket out of the seal! _

Something powerful pierced Hibiki’s mind. It was like a scalpel - tearing him bit by bit with cold, precise slashes. Hibiki tried to protect himself. Spells… What spell worked against these attacks? There was no Nicaea to help him, he had to do it alone. Let’s think… It probably was a curse attack, so…

“Null Curse!” shouted Hibiki from the top of his lungs. It may or may not have been needed, but when else would he get the chance to shout like an anime hero? The pain remained, but at least he felt no more slashes.

But then the attacks returned, even more powerful.  _ Fool! You cannot stop me! I have waited for eons and will not stay here for even a second more! _

Slash after slash hit the Alcor’s mind. The spell did not work long enough, what else he had? The Septentrione form! Could he change to it in this condition? There was only one way to find out.

The boy felt his body dissolving and reforming again. He took on the cubical shape and the attacks began stopping.

_ You… Not… More…  _ The last thoughts of the spirit faded out, until they become nothing.

Alcor opened his eyes. He was not feeling rested at all. The first thing he saw were the humans, standing in front of him and pointing the Demonica gun. At themselves.

“Would you please tell me, why are you trying to shoot yourselves?”

* * *

The Frost Ship was amazing. At first, Varian thought it was only metal, metal and more metal. But then one Jack Frost with glasses came and showed him how to use it. An whole world of knowledge opened in front of Varian.

“Item name: Dis-Stone   
Ability: Cures one ally from petrification   
Ingredients: 1x White Core; 1x Detox Core; 150x Macca”

If that item cured petrification, would it save his father? Varian could only hope. He had to ask one of the Frost about the ingredients. Or maybe the palace in Bootes would have information?

It was like his birthday, and then a bit more. Varian’s eyes lit as he read about the Life Stone, the Chakra drop, the Megido Stone…

So many unknown things, just begging to be made!

As he tried to look about something other, the ship began shaking.  Suddenly voice came from somewhere. “Attention, all hee-soldiers! We are going to the Frivolous Nation!”

Glasses Jack came with Jack. “I admi-hee your passion for studying, but I n-hee-d the lab, ho! Jack, take him to the Demonica storage and find him one, that fits!”

With that words the demon pushed the two out of the lab.

Jack, the same Jack that had come with Varian, led the boy to something that looked like closet. Many black suits were hanging inside.

“T-hee-re! This one fits you perfectly!” said Jack and threw one of them over Varian.

Varian put on the strange clothes and the screen lit.

“DEMOuntable Next Integrated Capability Armor activated. Demon Summoning Program loaded.”

“Now we can make a contract, hee-Varian!” said Jack. “The hee-Commander cannot do anything to me, if I am your demon! What do you say?” asked the snowman. His eyes were pleading. He held Varian’s hand and began crying. “Of course, if you do not want me, I can stay here alone and unloved. Hee-ho.” Until now, Varian believed it was impossible to say ‘hee-ho’ and sound full of sadness. And the Jack had been quite helpful during the fights.

“You can come.”

“Super! So now you have to put me in the program and I’ll be your ghost in circuits, hee-ho!” All the sadness had evaporated, like rain in a dessert. “Or you can leave me outside, like the other man did. What do you choose, hee-boss?”

If ‘ghost in circuits’ meant Varian would see Jack’s words in front of his face, then the answer was clear.

"You are staying out Jack. We are together in this strange journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 is here. I am sorry for the late update, but since today I am on holiday! And I got sick even before I entered the car. Then I had to fight with my laptop, until it connected to the net, but finally the chapter is here.


	7. Chapter VI - Lost

Few long moments passed in silence. Then the couple turned the guns, so they pointed at Hibiki.

‘Let me guess, they have no idea how to use these,’ thought the boy. ‘But let’s try pretending.’

“What are you?” shouted one of them. The tag on the DEMONICA said ‘Anthony’, but Alcor doubted that was their name. “Where have you taken us?”

Were people always so ungrateful? He had saved them from Shekinah and brought them to the safe place.

Well, as safe as it could be. There were no cracks in the walls. The place did not look even like someone had put some wall between the cracks. The place should not exist, but some humans had decided to play God.

But now the whole tiny universe was dying. The Void was swallowing it greedily with its small, multi-colored fangs. Of course, Eli had told him about the place. She promised to keep the Void until they were out.

And of course, the people had to ask the delicate questions. Polaris had once shown him a universe, where knowledge transformed people into demons. He doubted it would happen here, too, but how do you say ‘I am an immortal agent of something that is almost God, but not quite, that gave your civilization. My job is to test you and see if humans can survive this catastrophe. We are in a world, made by humans’ darkness, where demons and angels live.’?

On another side, he already told them about the demons. Maybe he could think of a lie or two? ‘This is a strange place, where people dress in super authentic Halloween suits all the time.’ Did this world even have Halloween?

Whenever Hibiki was nervous, he put hands in his pockets. The boy tried to do it again but failed. He had neither hands nor pockets.

That would take a bit more explanations. They meant more white lies, of course.

‘We are in the strange world, where people become demons and eat other people, who also become demons to survive.’ No, that was the single strangest idea ever.

Probably the two had found something else because they were pointing swords at him.

Good news: his form reflected physical attacks. Bad news: his form reflected physical attacks. If they tried to hurt him and the blades jumped on the couple, they were going to trust him even less. That is, if they trusted him at all now, of course.

Alcor melted from one form into another. Now he was Hibiki once again. He could not see the people’s face under the helmets but could bet his life they were even more frightened.

At that moment, he thought the forbidden. ‘Could anything get worse?’ The answer: of course. The ground began to shake, the walls began to flicker and the color began to drain. It was like throwing sand balls in the sea – they quickly dissolved, until the sea swallowed them.

Colorful stream followed by darkness destroyed the tiny safe haven in the Schwarzwelt - the Void. This place was not meant to be, and now the nothingness was swallowing him. Eli had promised to keep it stable until Hibiki returned. But of course, why was he expecting the truth from Polaris with another name?

They had only one chance – another trip through the cracks. Hibiki took them by the hands and dissolved into pure nothingness. Only one thought was passing through his mind. ‘I hope we do not fall in the Void.’

* * *

Hibiki could not see anything around himself. He felt he was at the sea – lots of tiny seaweeds surrounded him completely. It felt sticky, slimy and disgusting. The boy opened his eyes and found it was even worse. He was swimming in bits of data, broken down so much that it had no meaning. The Void.

Wow, could it get worse?

_We are not in the Void. Even you know that I cannot save you there, Great Will. We are at the Vanishing Point, the center of the Schwarzwelt. Here I am everything and everywhere. You will stay here forever. It is your turn to be a prisoner._

Great Will? What was the voice speaking about?

_Do not act foolishly. I feel your power inside this avatar, my old enemy. A power that soon will be only mine!_

The creature began attacking Hibiki’s mind again. This time it did not feel like slashes at all. It was as if someone was tearing through Hibiki’s mind with a saw – power without precision. Well, it was not going to work for long. Hibiki changed into his cubical form, just like the time before.

_The same trick is not going to save you anymore. There is no spell digging through your mind. No, I will crush you with my very power. By a twist of irony, I will defeat you in the very prison you built for me!_

The attacks continued, even stronger than before. Plan A did not work. Fortunately, Hibiki had plan B: the star form. He melted into it and felt the attacks magnifying. So it was either Physical attack with Pierce. Well, let’s see if the thing was going to like them repelled. The Alcor focused and threw the attacks to the data sea around him. Hopefully, the thing was literal, when it said it was everywhere.

The attacks stopped. Was that good?

_You are trying to throw my attacks back? Then I just have to wait. You cannot escape, no matter how much you try._

The voice was right. Hibiki was locked at this place with no chance of escape with the… For the first time since he got in the data sea, he looked for the humans. Where were they?

_You destroyed worlds that did not meet your requirements without a second thought. What makes both humans so important? The girl has a piece of my power, which means I cannot just kill her. I still do not know what makes the man with her important, but I intend to find out, so he is safe, too. For now._

Eli was right – that thing was really, really dangerous. Who the hell was he?

_How do you dare forget me? I am your greatest enemy! The godslayer you threw in hell! Die, ‘almighty’!_

The thing began throwing attacks at Hibiki again. His whole body was shivering in pain. Hibiki closed his eyes and focused. He had to cast one Chaos Stir, only one. It had to work!

The Alcor threw the attack back to the data sea. It did not have to kill the enemy. The hold over him weakened. Hibiki had to make only one jump. The goal was not important, it had to exist somewhere outside this place! The teen felt melting into the cracks and reforming again.

Hibiki opened his eyes. A colorful world replaced the bleak emptiness of the doomed world. It had so many colors, put together in a way that made them look horrible. Black turned into orange and then into blue, before clashing with the green. Hibiki was going to be sick.

Sector Bootes. There was no way Hibiki would touch the ground! No way! He tried to float above the ground but fell down. The fight with the thing had drained him so much, that he could hardly move.

The boy took back human form and leaned at the wall. The clothes would never be clean again. When the boy got a chance, he would throw them in the Void. Pity – they were his favorite.

* * *

Rapunzel opened her eyes. As far as she could see, there were trees. A huge, shiny castle loomed in distance. Corona! She was so close to home! But where were Eugene or the boy? Were they still trapped in that world?

“Here you are Blondie!” said someone behind her. The princess turned and saw Eugene in his normal clothes. She could see his face without the blue glass of the helmet. Rapunzel tried to take off her helmet, too, but words appeared on it.

“Warning! Air is not breathable! Do not take the DEMONICA off!” What? Eugene was right there without that thing and has not died. How could the air be dangerous?

The girl tried to pull it off once more, but it did not move in the slightest.

“What are you waiting, Blondie? I want to see your face once more.”

Rapunzel could not take the thing off. She pulled with all her might, but it did not budge. Suddenly, light, so bright it was painful to see, engulfed the area.

When she could open her eyes again, Rapunzel could not believe them. She was standing in some misshapen twister of colors, patterns, doors, walls, and floors. There was no up or down, only amorphous vortex like someone was washing all things from the world down the drain.

The world returned to its first form quickly. There were the trees, the castle, and Eugene. He began speaking again, but his voice was strange. It was sticky like someone was stewing Rapunzel’s mind in glue.

“Go to hell, angels! You killed my mistress, you imprisoned me in this weak form and you locked me here forever! I cannot even hold this illusion long enough.” The thing noticed Rapunzel and turned to her. “But you, girl, are my ticket out! My little sunshine, with your power I will rise back to my huge, glorious form once again! I will lead the armies to pierce the Heaven and destroy them!”

As it neared, it looked less and less like Eugene. Its eyes disappeared, its skin turned sick green color and it looked less walking and more crawling. Rapunzel tried to reach something and hit the thing with it, but bright light stopped her suddenly.

“Megidoladyne!” shouted a woman’s voice. After the light faded, Rapunzel saw another woman in front of her. She had a blue dress and pale skin.

“Hello. What is a girl like you doing in such a place?” asked she. Then she looked at Rapunzel from head to toe and continued. “I did not expect humans at this world so soon. You have the program to control demons, but not one of your own? It would have been expected of me to leave you here because it would be against the order.

“But you are like the sun. You bring light and hope everywhere you go. You are a spark and this spark will light the people’s light. I choose to give you a way to protect yourself in this god-forsaken world.”

The woman snapped with fingers and a beautiful warrior with white hair and blue armor appeared.

“Take him as your protection. What are you going to do now is your choice. Oh, and one last thing. Do not trust anyone in this place – not even me, should we meet again.”

The woman went through the forest with these words. Rapunzel tried to follow her, but the forest was too thick – how could a human move through it?

The warrior looked at the princess. “My name is Tam Lin, milady. May I ask what our goal is?”

“We will save Eugene.” Answer boldly Rapunzel.

* * *

_What makes humans so special? What makes them look threatening in divine eyes? What makes them so dangerous and important for angels and demons alike?_

_Their power of choice. Humans are not bound by divine rules. They can choose a world of law just as they can choose a world of chaos._

_Why does God not just destroy them? He cannot. For all his speeches about being grand and omnipotent, he has always needed them. He has needed their power to defeat the strongest of the demons._

_And yet he still could only trap me here. But your time is running out, Great Will. Now you are here and you are mine._

_What makes me so special? I do not need humans._

_The game has begun, Great Will. I hope it will not be disappointing._

Incredible power shook Schwarzwelt. Somewhere an iron ship traveling through that world changed its course a bit to avoid getting thrown off course.

_May the best win, my old true enemy._ You will regret forgetting me.

A white, fluffy, beautiful feather fell down from the sky.

Do not think you are safe anywhere in this world.

The feather was falling in Sector Bootes. Suddenly, a Pyro Jack flew into it. The feather exploded in a black sphere, and the demon was gone.

* * *

What made humans so special? What made them so interesting in divine eyes? What was that blessing and curse, which made them a target of demons and gave them the power to fight it?

Their power of choice. It gave them the true freedom. Why had the Great Will given them the ability to defy him? There were so many things even Lucifer could only guess.

But their greatest strength was their worst weakness. Give them one or two gifts, help them once or twice and they would do whatever you say. This trick had helped Lucifer many times in the eternal plans.

Hopefully, it would work once more.

It was a simple plan: order Mara to create a trap for the girl, then save her to win her trust. Soon, the Great Will was going to die by that princess’ hand.

The stars were the brightest light. They showed humans hope, willpower, dreams…

And the brightest star was not going to hide in darkness anymore.

If only the Great Will had not locked him in human form, it would be much easier. But there was little reason to wallow in what could have been.

The fallen angel forced his whole power. Two wings spread from the woman’s body. Lucifer plucked two feathers and blew them in the air.

Megidoladyne. Nothing could escape its deadly aim.

It was time for the next part of the plan: taking care of the man.

The feathers flew into the Vanishing Point. With a bit of help, they were going to reach their destination.

Lucifer stepped into the portal, too. There was no place for mistakes.

* * *

Eugene looked around. Nothing had changed. He still was stuck in the room. It was just like when he had lived in the palace – the same bed, the same wardrobe, the same chandelier. But the big window and the double doors were gone.

Probably, Rapunzel was trapped in a room, too.

There was a tray of food and a glass of water on the table. Eugene would be a fool to try them – they were poisoned, or something worse.

He laid on the bed, thinking of a plan. There was nothing he could break the walls with, no way to run. What were his options?

The room shook. Black sphere broke through the wall and bricks fell on the ground. What was that? Eugene looked at the darkness and a tiny feather flew towards him. It almost touched his body, when a strange woman picked it in her hand and crushed it.

“I am sorry,” said she. “I thought the walls would be tougher.”

What? Had she broken the wall with that feather? Could this woman be part from the Shekinah?

“Run fast!” continued the woman.

What choice Eugene had? He could neither stay in the room forever nor trust the woman. What was the lesser of two evils?

“What are you waiting for? If you do not get out of here, you will die. You are useless for his plans, but he has not realized that yet. Once he finds you are powerless, he will kill you. I doubt you have another chance”

That was quite true. Eugene stood from the bed and went to the hole. Then he wished to be back in the room.

It was like being in a thick forest of castle-sized bushes. It was painful to move and the landscape was poking him from everywhere. There was no place, where Rapunzel could be held. He looked at the woman and saw her back.

She was pulling feathers from her wings and blowing them to clear her way. Eugene returned to this thought once more. What was that woman? It seemed more and more likely to be Shekinah.

Eugene tried to walk in the woman’s tunnel. Behind them, the bushes closed themselves. Soon, they reached some sort of purplish circle – just like the one, through which Shekinah had thrown him in that world.

Just as he tried to run, the woman pulled him through the circle. Ugh, why had he even trusted her? He could have run away in the dark forest to somewhere else.

“You are free now,” said the woman as they exited the circle. They were at… Corona? He was free! But where was Rapunzel?

“Do not make mistakes – here it may cost your life. The place you see is a mere façade – a trap.”

With a single sentence, she killed his hopes.

“I thought you want to save the girl, before leaving this place. She is all right, but this is a dangerous place. Do you know how to use your gun?” asked the woman, pointing at the black thing Eugene still was holding.

Before he could say anything, she continued. “I believe you do not, so I will give you this gift.” In her hand lied seven metal things that smelled of gunpowder. “You do not need to aim with these. They will hit their target, no matter what.”

The deal sounded sweet, almost too sweet to be true. “I do not like to be in debt. What do you want in exchange?”

The woman smiled. “Straight to the point. I like people like you. And you will find what I want in exchange soon enough. Your girl should be somewhere in that direction.” She pointed to the north and ran into the forest.

Eugene went north immediately.

* * *

The cave was cold and dark. No, it was not even a cave. Cave implied big open spaces, filled with bats and stones. The thing Cassandra traveled through was a narrow path in the rock. The sharp pieces dug into her body, making the experience even more uncomfortable. Where were Rapunzel and Eugene?

Cassandra raised the torch and tried to turn her head and look to the front. Finally, the path was ending. Just a few steps more and she would be in some wide open space. The woman made the step and tripped into something. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Something moved near her. She felt scales, like of a snake, touch her leg. What could it be? She turned around and saw Pascal.

What was he doing there? Did he have an idea, where Rapunzel could be? Cassandra could not know for sure, but Pascal ran to a deeper part of the cave, looking back as if saying “Come!”

The woman followed him until they reached something that looked like a room. There were hundreds of books, “Wanted!” posters, and documents. On the wall, a few strange clothes were hanging.

There was another narrow pathway. Cassandra entered it. It was getting warmer and warmer. How? She was in the middle of a cave, for the Mother’s sake!

Each step was harder than the previous. Soon it got so hot, that thick drops of sweat formed on the woman’s face. Maybe there was lava deep in the cave? But there were no active volcanoes in Corona or the neighborhood kingdoms and Cassandra doubted they had gone farther away. Whatever it was, the heat soon got so unbearable, that she was felt like she would faint.

There was no way those women could have taken Rapunzel and Eugene through there. But as Cassandra turned around, she saw the ground. It was so dry that cracks were forming into it. In one of them lied a tiny piece of purple fabric. Rapunzel’s dress! But how could have they survived the heat?

Cassandra began walking back. Was she imagining things or the room had gotten warmer, too? The woman looked at the strange clothes again. They were made of unknown material. She put a hand into it – inside the suit, it was cooler. Maybe Rapunzel and Eugene had worn it when the women formed them through the cave. Cassandra put one of the suits, too.

The helmet had broken glasslike eyeholes, and it was a bit hard to see, but otherwise, it felt like armor. Could it endure swords and arrows, too? If it did, then it would be quite useful.

Cassandra walked through the dry, hot place. The heat did not bother her anymore, so she could focus on the place.

As she entered deeper and deeper, Cassandra heard singing. It was a beautiful song, sang by an even more beautiful voice. The woman picked up her blade and hid somewhat behind a rock. Could the voice belong to one of the three women?

Someone came from the depths of the cave. It was a tall woman, wearing a long pink dress. In her hand, she held a flower. There was something powerful, yet odd about her. Cassandra resisted the urge to bow to the woman.

“You may stop hiding, dear. I can sense you pretty clearly.” The voice was like chocolate – sweet, soft and leaving a strangely pleasant feeling. “My name is Parvati. I come from the world behind the fog. I and my husband wish to close the gate before it gets too late. He is still on the other side, trying to stop the other demons from entering.

“But I am sure you do not believe me. If you could follow me, I would show you the answers you seek. Would you like to come with me?”

Parvati stood there, waiting for an answer. After a few seconds, Cassandra spoke. “Lead the way.” The woman in pink was not wearing any armor, so Cassandra could defeat her with the sword if needed.

As they went deeper and deeper into the cave, Cassandra found what was off with the woman. Her feet were floating a few centimeters above the ground. Suddenly Parvati stopped and pointed to a foggy mass to the front.

“Oh, no! It is growing faster than I thought. That, my little girl, is our world. It is coming to yours once again. I came here to help the people save themselves.” The woman opened her hand and revealed a black piece from the rocks that had overrun Corona. How powerful was she, if she had broken them? Parvati threw it into the fog. Like an ice cube in a fire, it dissolved quickly.

If that thing spread even more, how many people would die? If it melted the rocks for a few seconds, what chance had people? With a heavy heard, Cassandra said: “Sorry, Rapunzel. You will have to wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the newest chapter. I know it is a week late, but I was sick for about a day at the sea. Then I got better and could swim, but as we got home I got sick again. Now I am alright and ready to give you the 7 part.


	8. HIdden Depths

“How may your servant be of help, your Excellency?” asked Mara. “The girl is wandering through Grus with the demon you have given her. But there is another presence. The human, whom I have been ordered to trap, has escaped. I am looking for him…”

“Do not.” The voice was cold and precise – like a scalpel. It was not going to accept ‘no’ or ‘but’ for an answer. Yet, if Mara did not ask for details or question the motive, Lucifer was going to be disappointed.

“But I have to, your Excellency! He…”

“Mara, you respond to me and only to me first, and to anybody else second – Mem Aleph, Maia, and even him. Understood?” The same voice, that a second ago was cold and critical, now felt like sugar to the ears.

“I understand, but…” It looked like Mara had shrunk from fear.

“Are you afraid? From him? Do not be. Very soon, this place is going to be ours. No one, not even the Great Will herself, will stop us then. But that is only if you stay by my side. If you want to fight for him, go. You are free to make your choice.”

The most basic illusion in the book – let the person you are tricking fell like he has a choice. Lucifer was almost sure that Mara was going to say…

“Farewell, your Excellency. I do not wish to choose, but you cannot destroy him. He no longer listens to you. If you believe you can win over him here, then I do not want to be on your side in the fight.”

That was interesting. When had Mara grown such a hard backbone? But it was one of the biggest problems with the lack of rules. There was no reason to stay loyal to someone.

That was why image held so much importance to Lucifer. If he presented himself as the almighty king of darkness, set out to crush his enemies and rule over the remaining world, people would follow him mostly out of fear. They would betray him at the first moment possible, without a second thought.

No, being seen as a charming rebel leader, intending to overthrow a despotic god, was much better. But even then, some could not be charmed. They had their goal and nothing would stop them from achieving it. They would fight an unwinnable fight, engage undefeatable opponents and try impossible challenges.

Lucifer could respect everyone, who willingly chased his dreams to the impossible. After all, he had done the very same things, when he was foolish and thought his army could overthrow YHVH.

Mara wanted safety. He could give it to her easier than Lucifer, so she was going to follow him.

Sometimes, image was not enough. In a world, where no one was obligated to be loyal there was another thing that helped. Power.

“I understand, Mara. I hoped it would not get to this, but… Megidoladyne!” Two shiny angelic wings spread from Louisa’s back. She plucked a feather and threw it at Mara.

The second it touched the green jelly-like body of the demon, it burnt it in an instant. There was still a bit of smoke, where Mara once stood proudly.

“When we meet again, I hope you have rethought this. Farewell, my former servant.”

Louisa Ferre began walking through the forest. Without Mara, it was going to be harder to manipulate the princess. If she summoned another demon, he could catch her.

Lucifer had to rely on his powers alone. It was bound to get even more interesting.

 

* * *

 

The tiny pocket dimension felt even more cramped. The green lights still made Mastema sick. As he walked to his master’s chambers, the angel felt like walking to his own execution.

There was a chance his plan would work, of course. The Demiurge would die and his master would be reborn. But everything hanged on the hope, his master would not annihilate Mastema on the spot.

The remainders of the once glorious armies of angles moved quietly through the shadows. The Fae Folk may have beaten them once, but they were not going to give up.

Mastema stopped in front of the door. It was nothing special – just another two rectangle blocks of greenish matter. It was the Judgment Day. Either his master would accept his offer, or he will die on the spot. Mastema was shivering inside but hid it behind his ever-calm face.

He had to care not only about what he said, but what he thought.

The angel breathed in – for the first time in few years – and entered.

“Where is the boy, my servant?” asked the false god. “I told you to make no mistakes.”

“The boy is at a safe place, my Lord” replied the angel. There was no trace of anxiety in his voice. Please, dear YHVH, do not ask more questions!

“I do not know anywhere, but here, to be free from the demons’ influence. What is the safe place you speak about?” The Demiurge looked straight at Mastema with its many eyes.

The angel did not tremble. “It is a place, influenced by the demons. But if my Lord would let me say …”

“Silence! I am your Lord! I gave you a simple order, and you failed even it! Give me one reason to not destroy you on the spot!” The voice caused the very room to shake. It was the moment of truth.

“Only I can tell you where the boy is” answered Mastema. “You cannot get out of this pocket dimension, because he will catch you. Only Seraph and I have enough power to travel between the Sectors, and we do not have enough resources to summon Seraph. You need me, or any hope of revenge you have is gone.”

If the being on the throne gave in to anger and destroyed Mastema, the plan failed. But if the Demiurge did that, he would lose on the spot. Two horrible choices and each of them helped Mastema at least a bit. His real master was going to be grateful.

“You will keep your existence” growled the creature. “One day you will regret this. Until then, be gone from my eyes until my next order!”

The storm was avoided, at least for now. Mastema exited the sick, green world and began walking through the forest.

“Part one finished. Let part two begin.”

It was only a matter of time before he met the princess and the thief. How hard could it be? He caught a glimpse of a blonde-haired woman and began walking towards her. Things were already falling in his favor.

 

* * *

 

Cassandra walked through the cramped corridor. Parvati floated a few steps behind her. Soon, they were in the big opening again.

“I believe you have lots of questions” began the woman in pink. “As I said, my name is Parvati. I am… I used to be a goddess. People have forgotten me, but I still exist in the world behind the fog.”

“Hear me well, Parvati. My best friend is trapped in that world by three women. I have no reason to trust you, and I hardly believe you can be a goddess. Tell me the truth, now” said Cassandra. Her grip on the sword tightened.

“Broken heart. You liked him…” The woman closed her eyes. “No, you even loved him. You believed you could get your ‘Happily ever after’. But he betrayed you, did not he? He made his choice and you made yours. But you still suffered, did not you? You still love him. Do you believe me now?”

How? How did that woman know so much about Cassandra? She had not told most of those things even to Rapunzel. The warrior picked her blade and attacked Parvati. How dared she to expose her secrets like that?

“You still miss his smile. You still miss how he looked at you. You still think how it would have gone, had he not done what he did.” The woman in pink did not open her eyes. Each word made it harder for Cassandra to walk.

“Do you believe me now?” The magic disappeared. Cassandra felt as if a weight had dropped off her shoulders. She could move as usual once again. In front of her stood Parvati’s face. “I am Parvati, goddess of love and beauty.”

Cassandra looked at the woman once again. On one side, she looked normal – pink dress, fair skin, and beautiful eyes. On another side, she could break the black rocks, did not need the armor to go near the fog and floated above the ground.

“Let’s say for a second that I believe you. Why are you here?”

Parvati smiled. “Our worlds are merging once again. Most of the demons think it is their big chance to change the course of the war. But some of us wish to keep things as they are. While my husband, the god of destruction, blocks the demons from entering, I have to find what summoned Schwarzwelt.”

“You keep saying ‘demons’. Are they real, too? Have you found what summons your world? And what will happen?”

“Yes and yes. Schwarzwelt comes when the Earth is in danger. The black rocks are such a danger. Schwarzwelt will eliminate them, along with everything else.”

“What do you mean?”

“Schwarzwelt will restore the world to a blank state – a world with infinite possibilities. But once that world is formed, the powers of Schwarzwelt will try and take it for themselves. We wish to prevent that.”

Great. If the women and the rocks were not enough, now Cassandra had to deal with the Schwarzwelt. Or maybe not. “Do you have an idea how we can stop the rocks? If they are gone, probably Schwarzwelt will stop, too.”

“It is not that simple. Once the reason is gone, Schwarzwelt will slow down, but not disappear. Demons will cross over some day. The only way to stop it is from the inside. But removing the rocks should give us enough time for a plan, at least.”

“And how can we remove the rocks?”

Parvati went to one of the walls. She snapped with fingers and lightings danced over her hand. It gave enough light for Cassandra to see the drawings on the wall.

“Long ago, the most powerful entities of Schwarzwelt tried to spawn on Earth. For this reason, they created two flowers – one with the power of creation, and another with the power of destruction. For many eons, the two flowers kept each other in check. But one of them has been plucked and now the other is spreading its power. The other flower must be plucked, too. Then the rocks will stop spreading.”

 

* * *

 

The forest was still and lifeless: no wind was blowing, no clouds were moving in the sky. The leaves stood on the trees, without moving in the slightest.

Eugene chose one of them and turned around, so it was behind him. He closed his eyes and pulled what the woman called ‘trigger’.

A loud bang sounded, something flew from the front side of the gun, made a turn and pierced the leaf straight through the middle. The woman was not lying, then.

Eugene had only six of these left. Hopefully, there were not lots of dangerous things there.

Where to go now? All he knew was that Rapunzel was somewhere in the place and was looking for him. If he did not move, then she could find him. But the place was huge and she could be in danger. Yet if he tried to look for her they could get lost, too.

Eugene waited for a few seconds – or maybe minutes? The man could not tell the time in the frozen world.

Suddenly, something happened. The bushes shuffled, a shadow moved and something jumped from them.

A huge frog. Its tiny eyes looked straight at Eugene, and it probably thought ‘tasty’.

The man shot quickly at it, hoping to hit something vital. The thing pierced the frog straight through the… mouth. The green monster looked stunned for a second, which gave Eugene enough time to escape.

He ran as fast as he could, trying to go… Where exactly? The whole place looked the same way, with the forest and the castle in distance. He looked at the suit: maybe there was something that could help him.

On his other hand, there was another rectangle. It showed a picture made of squares, but for every twenty steps Eugene made, a red arrow moved. A map, maybe? According to it, there was a…

Eugene hit the wall in front of him. He looked, and there seemed to be nothing unusual. Maybe the walls were hidden by the illusion, too?

Anyway, the map said there was a way on the left. Eugene followed it, hoping that no more huge frogs would appear.

 

* * *

 

“Sorry! You think ‘sorry' is enough! You left me to die in this amber prison, and then say it is others' fault! It is only yours! You have killed me, Varian! You!”

The shouts of his father pierced Varian’s mind. The man now looked more like a towering shadow, with threating red eyes shining over the pitch-black silhouette.

“You are a selfish weakling, who cares only for himself! You wanted to avenge me, but could not do even that right! You, poor excuse for a son!”

The tiny boy shivered. The only thing left in his mind was sadness and fear. What was that place? Why was his father shouting such things to him? He would have never thought that, right? His father loved him, did not he?

**_No one truly loves. People only pretend they care for someone because it is expected of them._ **

Where was the voice coming from? What was it speaking about?

**_He blames you for what is his fault. He tried to stop you because he was jealous. You much better than him and proved it._ **

It was not true! It was Rapunzel’s fault! She could have helped him, but she refused! What could be more important than saving his father?

**_You could blame anyone you wish. But the truth is still there – he chose to be frozen in that amber._ **

That proved he loved Varian!

**_That proved he needed you. He is not a fool – you had to stop the amber from spreading if it did not stop._ **

But Varian had to avenge him! It was the kingdom’s fault…

**_You could go on and blame it all to the kingdom. You could go on and find justification for everything you have ever done. But stop for a second and think – why do you really do it?_ **

**_How did you feel, when you let all the rage against the Fairy Village? It felt nice, did not it: to destroy for the sake of destruction, to be yourself and not hide anything?_ **

**_It felt nice to let the power and passion rule your body, while mind took a backseat. Why keep deluding yourself – you wish this pain to end. The most simple way is to destroy it._ **

**_Destroy the pain and let yourself be ruled by power. Let your soul shine once again!_ **

Varian looked at the shadow once again. His eyes gleamed with a blue shine.

“I do not care what you think! I do not care what anyone thinks! This world deserves to burn in ashes and I will ignite it!”

The boy’s blue hairstreak glowed. He felt the power building up but did not try to do anything. Varian let it ravage through his body and destroy everything around himself. The voice was right. It felt so nice!

“And if you do not agree with me, die!” shouted he and threw a blast of energy at his father. It disappeared in an instant.

**_Very well. Your spirit is like the soldier’s. Let’s free you from the mind prison._ **

Varian felt his mind fading, and the world began melting.

**_It is your turn to pay, followers of the false god._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of today, begins my schoolyear. I will try my best to keep with schedule, but I cannot promise anything. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Now, a quick admission: as I began writing this, I had no idea how much Mastema's character had changed between SMT: Strange Journey and SMT: IV. Now that I have watched a Let's Play, I have finally found a way to write Mastema. Have his methods changed? Yes. Have his goal changed? Not in the slightest.


End file.
